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AROUND
WASHINGTON
Honoring Senator Ted Kennedy, Champion of
Flight Attendants
We are deeply saddened by
the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy who, for decades, was among
AFA-CWA’s greatest advocates. The 2008 AFA-CWA Board of
Directors voted unanimously to give the Senator honorary
membership in our union. “Senator Kennedy supported
everything we have ever fought for. He stood with United flight
attendants in their fight to save their pensions when no one
else would; he supported OSHA protections; he wrote a letter to
Delta management in support of our 2008 organizing campaign; he
introduced the Airline Flight Crew FMLA along with former
Senator Clinton in the Senate last year; he wrote letters to
airline CEOs on our behalf during negotiations; and the list
goes on,” said AFA-CWA Government Affairs Director Shane
Larson. “His staff was caring, dedicated, hard working and
as committed to labor as any staff I’ve ever met on the
Hill—clearly a reflection of the Senator.” Not only
because of his many contributions to advancing the flight
attendant profession, but also because of his dedication to
working to create a more just society for all Americans, we
honor the late Senator Ted Kennedy.
Make a Call for
FMLA
With strong bi-partisan
support in the Senate, AFA-CWA’s non-controversial FMLA
Technical Corrections Act, S. 1422, is making its way through
various Senate voting procedures but has yet to pass. The House
passed similar legislation earlier this year on a unanimous,
bi-partisan voice vote. To ensure passage of S. 1422 when the
Senate reconvenes after Labor Day, please call each of your
Senators and encourage your members to do the same. A phone call
carries the weight of at least a dozen emails. Click
here to find your Senator’s phone number Following is
a sample telephone script:
Hello. My name
is __________________, I am a registered voter in the state and
I live in (CITY). I am calling to ask the Senator to
cosponsor S. 1422. This is bipartisan, common-sense legislation
which has already passed the House on a unanimous voice vote. It
would fix a long-standing problem and finally provide FMLA
fairness for flight attendants. Please make sure that the
Senator stands with our nation’s flight attendants by
cosponsoring S. 1422. Thank you for your
time.
NEGOTIATIONS
UPDATE
Air Wisconsin
Negotiations at
Air Wisconsin continued August 11-13 in Milwaukee. The parties
discussed Section 14--Leaves of Absence, Section 17--Filling of
Vacancies and Section 24--Agency Shop and Dues Check-Off. No
tentative agreements were reached. The AFA-CWA Negotiating
Committee asked for modest improvements in Section 17--Filling
of Vacancies. Management’s counter proposal contained
concessions from the provisions in the current book language.
The AFA-CWA Negotiating Team clearly stated they had no interest
in concessions and would not be responding to their counter
proposal. The parties also discussed the US Airways-Delta Slot
Transaction announced on August 12. Little is known about the
impact it will have on Air Wisconsin at this time, except that
many of the Air Wisconsin destinations out of LGA are being
discontinued and several new services will be initiated in DCA.
Negotiations will continue September 10-11 in Appleton,
WI.
Piedmont
Airlines
The Piedmont Airlines Negotiating
Committee began negotiations the week of August 17 in Salisbury,
Maryland. Initial meetings for negotiations tend to focus
more on working out the nuts and bolts of negotiations, such as
meeting locations, contact persons, scheduling etc., rather than
actually exchanging proposals. Therefore no proposals were
exchanged during this session. The parties were able to
determine that meetings will take place in SBY at a site away
from company headquarters, and to set negotiating dates through
February of 2010. Negotiations will resume October
13-15.
Ryan
International
Attended AFA-CWA Negotiations
Training and reviewed opening proposal. Negotiations for a first
contract are scheduled to begin in early October.
Spirit
Airlines
The first mediation session with NMB
Mediators Michael Tosi and Victoria Gray took place near company
headquarters in Miramar, Florida, resulting in the first
progress made so far in 2009.
United Airlines
Direct negotiations between AFA-CWA and United
Airlines management, which began on April 6, 2009, continued
over the course of 16 weeks. Of the 35 sections in the
agreement, the parties have reached tentative agreements on six
sections. The AFA-CWA Negotiating Committee and United Airlines
management have exchanged proposals on many other sections
without agreement. On August 7, 2009, the parties filed a joint
application for mediation services of the National Mediation
Board (NMB). The NMB has assigned mediator John Livingood
to the case. No further negotiating sessions are scheduled
at the present time as the AFA-CWA Negotiating Committee
prepares for the initial meetings with the mediator, expected in
early September. Click
here to view a letter from the United MEC to their members
regarding the mediation.
AROUND OUR UNION
Delta-Northwest
Campaign Update
Reports from AFA-CWA activists
throughout the Delta-Northwest system indicate increasing
support for AFA-CWA union representation. Activists continue
collecting union election authorization cards and conducting
visibility efforts. To view the latest video produced by the
campaign, click
here. For additional information and ongoing updates, please
visit www.deltaafa.org.
AFA-CWA Files
Grievance to Protect Midwest Jobs
On August 7,
AFA-CWA filed a grievance to defend the Midwest flight attendant
contract and to protect their jobs. The grievance will go
directly to the System Board of Adjustment. It maintains that
all Midwest Airlines flying should be performed by Midwest
flight attendants on the Midwest Airlines System Seniority list.
The Midwest MEC has also contacted the Teamster union Local 135,
which represents Republic flight attendants, to begin the
process for merging seniority lists following the purchase of
Midwest Airlines by Republic. At the first integration meeting
on August 12, a seniority integration agreement was not reached.
The dispute will now be scheduled for arbitration.
Survey Seeks to
Improve Illness, Injury Reporting
The AFA-CWA
Air Safety, Health and Security Department is working to improve
the accuracy of reporting on-the-job injuries and illnesses to
the U.S. government. Annual statistics consistently show that
occupational injuries and illnesses are declining, indicating
that workplaces are becoming safer. However, studies show that
government data seriously underestimate the true numbers of
workers injured and made sick each year. This is drawing
heightened scrutiny by Congress, researchers, and labor unions.
In collaboration with the AFL-CIO and many of its member unions,
AFA-CWA is collecting information from union members and leaders
regarding the reporting of injuries and illnesses by employers
to the U.S. Government.
One explanation for the
underestimation is that employer policies and programs may
discourage workers from reporting injuries or illnesses, such as
financial rewards for workers who don't have injuries;
discipline for workers who report an injury or illness; and drug
and alcohol testing for workers who experience an injury. Such
practices not only discourage reporting, but also hide the true
numbers of affected workers and ultimately hinder efforts to
identify and correct workplace hazards.
To help assess the extent and
impact of programs and policies that discourage workers from
reporting injuries and illnesses, we have created an online
survey. Please encourage your members to complete the 10-15
minute survey by
clicking here. Armed with
these survey results from a large cross-section of union
members, we will work with government agencies and policy makers
to improve the accuracy of on-the-job injury and illness
reporting.
Arbitrator Rules
Firing Illegal, Mesa FA Reinstated with Back Pay
An arbitrator recently ruled that Mesa
Airlines management illegally terminated a flight attendant and
ordered that she be reinstated with full back pay, including
interest. Despite an excellent record at Mesa (she was
previously named "Flight Attendant of the Year"), the flight
attendant was discharged when she told her supervisor that she
wanted to consult with her union representative before attending
a management requested meeting. Mesa management argued
that this constituted insubordination and terminated her
immediately.
The arbitrator agreed with
AFA-CWA's position that the flight attendant's need to speak to
a union representative before agreeing to meet with management
was reasonable. He also found that the supervisor failed to give
a clear, direct order to attend a meeting, and that no harm
would have come from meeting the next day, which the flight
attendant told the supervisor she was willing to
do.
Northwest Plans Round-the-Clock
Donation Drive
The Northwest MEC and Local 95
have announced they will team up with the IAM (Machinists union)
and the Salvation Army for a 48-hour marathon charity event
October 22-24 in the MSP Northwest/Delta employee parking lot.
"Operation Donation - Unite Today For A Better Tomorrow”
will support several charitable efforts in the community
including a blood drive, food drive, coat drive, Toys for Tots,
and more. "We all need help at some point in our lives,”
said Northwest MEC President Janette Rook. “In today's
extraordinary economic times, we know donations don't always
meet our community's needs. Please stop by the Operation
Donation camp during the event to make a donation, volunteer or
just visit. Please help us support our community."
Heroes of the Heart
Online Auction Teaser 
Beginning on November 1, 2009, The
Pegasus Project will be holding the "Heroes
of the Heart" Online Holiday Auction to raise much needed
funds. Your support is needed! Please consider participating in
one of the following ways:
Donate.
If possible, please contribute valuable merchandise, rare
collectibles, business or personal services or access to unique
events.
Be a Sponsor. Contact
The Pegasus Project at pegasusauction@cmarket.org
or 866-785-0449 to take advantage of promotional opportunities
for your business or to pledge your individual
support.
Tell
Your Friends. Do you know someone who would be interested in
supporting this cause? Please refer your friends and family
members to the auction so they can get involved.
Thank you in advance for your support! The Pegasus Project
provides short-term emergency grants for members of the
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) who are
experiencing financial hardship due to a critical,
life-threatening illness or injury. Visit www.thepegasusproject.org
for more information.
NMB to Conduct
AFA-CWA Representation Election at USA3000
The
National Mediation Board (NMB) announced that it will conduct a
representation election for the over 100 flight attendants at
USA3000 Airlines. Voting begins on September 15 and will end at
2 p.m. Eastern Time on October 6, 2009. USA3000 has bases in
Fort Myers, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis. The airline
performs charter and some scheduled flying.
AROUND OUR
INDUSTRY
Direct Observation Collection
Reinstated
Effective August 31, 2009, the
Department of Transportation (DOT) will reinstate the
requirement for direct observation collections for all
return-to-duty and follow-up tests for employees who have failed
a prior test. The direct observation collection requirement was
issued, among other changes, in June 2008 with the revised DOT
Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing
Programs. Comments were filed against the proposed changes,
which the DOT denied, and eventually the petitioners filed a
motion for stay with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District
of Columbia. While the court has been reviewing the case, the
proposed direct observation collection has been an employer
option rather than a mandatory requirement. On May 15, 2009, the
Court unanimously upheld DOT's direct observation drug testing
rules applicable to return-to-duty.
AROUND
THE LABOR MOVEMENT
Last Chance for National Labor College
Fall Registration
The deadline to register for
online classes at the National Labor College (NLC) is August 28
for the fall semester beginning on September 8. Courses can be
taken individually or as part of a Bachelor of Arts degree
program. NLC course listings cover a wide range of labor studies
including Labor and the Economy, Organizing and Representing the
New Workforce, Gender and Identity in Labor History, Labor in
the Global Economy, Effective Writing, Computer Skills for Trade
Unionists and Effective Leadership, to name a few. To apply or
register for courses online, click
here.
The NLC also offers opportunities for financial
assistance. Visit www.nlc.edu
for more information.
________________________________________
Please visit www.afanet.org for updated
information on how AFA-CWA is working for you and for links to
other useful sites for working families.
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA | 501 3rd
Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
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